Tournament Details

Poker's first breaths came on the Mississippi River. Decades later, three virtual newcomers took their first WPT breaths against three well-known poker die-hards on the WPT tournament circuit. More than 500 players started the Jack Binion World Poker Open, all competing for a $5 million prize pool.

When the field made its way down to six, here's how the players looked:

Seat 1: Michael Mizrachi $515,000
Seat 2: John Stolzmann $517,000
Seat 3: Chau Giang $1,406,000
Seat 4: Raja Kattamuri $330,000
Seat 5: Daniel Negreanu $1,173,000
Seat 6: Scotty Nguyen $1,210,000

The Mississippi River may flow slowly, but the action on its banks was virtual whitewater. From the very first hand, Daniel Negreanu and newcomer Michael Mizrachi strapped in for some Class 5 rapids. When the field folded around to Negreanu in the small blind, he raised to $60,000 with a pair of tens. Mizrachi woke up with a pair of kings in the big blind and made it another $150,000 to go. Negreanu, thinking his pair was good, came over the top for one million dollars, enough to put Mizrachi all in. Mizrachi called, Negreanu never improved, and Mizrachi doubled through.

While the riverboat gamblers used to rule to poker scene in Mississippi, it was the kings that ruled at the beginning of this final table of this tournament. Chau Giang found the rulers next and made in $60,000 to go. Raja Kattmauri thought he'd found the perfect opportunity to double up with AKo. Kattamuri came over the top all-in. Giang called and Kattamuri never improved, leaving quickly in sixth place for $247,630.

The hand propelled Giang to the chip leader with more than $1.7 million in front of him. Mizrachi, having already experienced a win against one of the big boys, came in for $62,000 with A5 suited in spades. Giang, who had just said he would now play every pot, made good by calling with K6 offsuit. The flop was perfect for him, coming K26 with two spades. Giang had flopped top two pair. Mizrachi had the nut flush draw. Giang check-called Mizrachi's $70,000 bet. When the turn came as an ace, Giang check-raised Mizrachi's $150,000 bet, and moved all-in. Mizrachi had a problem. He held the nut flush draw and top pair on the board. After much thought, he laid it down face up, amazing Giang and the rest of the table.

In the 1800s, an earthquake made the Mississippi River run backward, sending the water north into the Missouri flood plains. During the 2005 WPO, it was simple bad luck that sent the chips the wrong way. From the button, Negreanu put in a minimum raise with a pair of sevens. Looking down at a pair of eights, Mizrachi came over the top all in for more than half a million more in chips. Having already doubled up Mizrachi once, Negreanu considered his move for a long while before finally talking himself into it and calling. The flop came down 569. With one eight having already been folded, it left one eight in the deck that could beat Mizrachi: the case eight. The turn was a deuce. But the river was…the case eight. Stunned, Mizrachi walked away in fifth place, taking home $297,630.

In Mississippi, you'll hear folks talk of famous battles, like the Battle of Vicksburg. In this tournament, an uncanny series of hands could've been called the Battle of K8. On three consecutive hands, Scotty Nguyen had all his chips in versus an opponent's K8 of clubs. The first time he held QJo and flopped a jack for the win. On the second hand, he held 89s but never improved. Finally, on the last skirmish in the Battle of K8, Nguyen held A5. Negreanu, beside himself with the uncanny series of hands, called with the K8 of clubs and flopped top-two pair for the win. The Battle of K8 busted Nguyen in fourth place for $346,682.

With three players remaining, Giang held a firm chip lead, sitting behind more than $2.3 million in chips.

Giang still held a sizable lead when Negreanu and Stolzmann went to war. In true battle, one of the greatest indignities is having your own weapon used against you. Negreanu limped in from the small blind with QQ. Stolzmann checked with T7. The flop came 893 giving Stolzmann the open-ended straight draw. Negreanu, who thought he was trapping with the best hand, puzzled over the hand for a moment before deciding he couldn't lay down his overpair. When he called, Stolzmann turned over his T7 and Negreanu was forced to admit, "That's my favorite hand." The first card out of the dealer's hand on the flop was the six to give Stolzmann the nuts. The hand crippled Negreanu who went out on the next hand, holding AK. Negreanu placed third and took home $396,208.

That left a seasoned veteran and a 23-year-old newcomer to the heads up battle. It began with Giang snapping off a Stolzmann bluff after Giang flopped top pair. Still, Stolzmann found a way to battle back from his chip deficit. Looking down at a pair of twos in the small blind, Stolzmann moved all in for almost a million in chips. Giang, finding, AKs, happily called. But Giang couldn't improve and Stolzmann breathed new life. Still, Giang had $3.2 million to Stolzmann, who held just slightly less than $2 million.

The players sparred for a couple of hands when Stolzmann's luck and aggressive style continued. Giang called from the big blind with 78 and Stolzmann checked his option with J7. When the flop came down J93, Stolzmann checked his top pair and Giang bet out $250,000. Stolzmann made it $800,000 to go and Giang folded in disgust.

His disgust paved the emotional way for the penultimate hand of the tournament. Giang limped in with AJo and Stolzmann checked his KT. The flop helped neither player, coming down Q85. Both players checked to the turn, a jack. Stolzmann, now with an open-ended straight-draw, bet out $340,000. Giang, having paired his jack, simply called. The river was the perfect action card: an ace, giving Giang two pair and Stolzmann the nut straight. Stolzmann moved all in. Giang, tortured by the straight possibility on the board, labored over the decision for some time before finally deciding his hand was good. He called, only to see Stolzmann turn over the nuts.

The hand crippled Giang. On the next hand, Stolzmann moved all-in in the dark and Giang called. Stolzmann held AT versus Giang's J3. Stolzmann's hand held up, busting the veteran Giang in second place for $797.369. Stolzmann, at only 23 years old, rake in a cool $1,511,282.